Closure for tumblers, jars, and other containers



April 30, 1929. INGRAM I I 1,710,984

CLOSURE FOR TUMBLERS, JARS, AND OTHER CONTAINERS Original Filed March14, 1923 1,, .IIIIIIII'lI/IIII III Patented Apr. 30, 1929.

UNITED STATES HARRY INGRAM, or BROOKLYN, n'nwjr'onx.

son TUMBLEll-S, uns, Ann oman communes.

Application filed March 14, 1928, Serial This invention relates to thesealing of receptacles such.astiunblers, jars and the liketion intactand easily lifted oil, as heretofore con strncted presented variousdisadvantages, for exan'iple, some cannot be used with a plain walledtumbler or the like but rely on the presence of a rib or grooveon or inthe tumbler mouth to effect the seal with the gasket, while others whichare intended for use with plain-walled tumblers, have the sealing;pressure between the gasket and the said walls applied by tensioning aflanged strip around the gasketand securing together the ends of saidstrip while it is under tension, said strip forming the section Whichdiscarded after opening the closure.

The present invention consists in the lower section oi the cap havingits side wall convere'ing downwardly with respectto the 0ppoaing wall ofthe receptacleand forming in conjunction with said wall and the sidewall of the upper section of the cap, a wedge shaped recess torthegasket which latter has its initial shape different from that of therecess and is deformed to tightly engage the walls thereof by forcingthe cap home on the receptacle.

The invention. provides a simple, safe, and reliable seal of the kind towhich the invention relates, and the method of applying the seal merelyconsists in forcing the cap and msliet down onto the receptacle. Thesecond section of the cap may be an integral ring or band, which is theSimplest and strongest construction. but where a strip with ends joinedby some term of mechanical lock is employed, it will be notcdjthat thesaid ends can be joined at the time of assembling the cap and while thestrip is not under the tension incidental to in airing the seal.

Both of the closure sections may be made of tender materiahas very thinSllBQtflltlll'llIllllIl,

and the lower edge of the lower section may.

he integrally formed with extending tabs or fingenholds which maybeiused to-tear said section upwardlyto relea'isethe same froi'nzt-heupper section of the closure andeirom the tumbler when an" oeeasipnarises for unsealing or openingthetnmbler. J

PATENT ni ce I The v on Will be fully iunderttiodu from the detaileddescription hereinafter presented, refenencebeing had 'atothe :aeco'mpanying drawings, inwhich; y

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly, broken aiway,'of a tumbler sealedwith Jthe closure of my invention, theclosure being shown in centralvertical section Fig. 2 is a sideelevation, partly away, of thesame VFig. 3 1s an enlarged vertical sectionof one broken away portion'of theclosure and is presented to clearly illustrate the preferred term ofgasket employed and the preferred manner of plncingthe samein-theclosure or cap preparatory to-the application of theclosure or capand gasket upon a receptacle;

Fig. dis a corres'pondin viewsho'Wingffor clearness of illustration, t1e twoportionso the closure or cap asfseparated from each other andthegasket in the*deforlned condition in which it will'appear'after thecap, has been applied upon the tumbler or the like and as theSfiIllB-lSBhOWIl on a smaller scale.

in Fig. 1,; i

Fi 5 is a side elevation of thetwo sect-ions, plus a gasket, ofamodified constructional? closure embodying features otmy invention,

the upper and lower :eections beingkshown juxtaposed ready for'assembly;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section through one side portion of atumblerand closure, the latter being in sealing positionand-einbodymg afurther modification ntiliz 111g features ot my invention, and i Fig. 7is a side elevatiomipartly broken away and partly in-section, ofthestumbler andc'losureillustrated in Fig.6. 7 In the'drawings,referring to Figs. Ito-4 inclusive, 10 designates actumbler of the usualkindxemployed for containingfiiood products, 11 thecontents thereof, and12 the closure or cap for said tumbler.

The closure or rap is formed in two thin sheet metal upperahd lowerparts 13, 14, the 7 part 13 i being of caip likecformationanticomprising atop 15 Of-disk outline, a vertical Shirt 16 dependingIfrom @the edges of said top 15 and a horizontal flange 17 extendingoutwardly from the lower. edge of: saidskir't 16, and the lower-part" orsection: :14 cumprie lll) ing a dowmvardly and inwardly convergingannular band 18 having at its lower edge a depending vertical skirtportion 19 and at its upper edge a flange 20 which is spun upon andengages the lower surface, outer vertical edge and upper surface of theflange 17 formed on the upper section 13 of the cap or closure. Thelower section 1.4.- also preferably has formed integrally with its loweredge a suitable number of tear-otf tabs 21, which may be utilized forunsealing the cap or closure when it is desired to remove the same fromthe tumbler. The upper and lower sections 13, 14 of the closure willpreferably be formed of yielding tender material, as thin flexible sheetaluminum, which may be torn through, to the lower section 14, with theuse of the tabs 21. An upward pull on the tabs 21 will tear through thelower section 14: of the closure, and. that will suliiciently relievethe pressure of the lower portion of the enclosed gasket 22 against thetumbler, to permit the upper section 13 of the closure, with the gasket,to be lifted from the tumbler.

The gasket 22 in the preferred form employed by me is a vertical band ofyielding and preferably rubber-like material normally having a flatouter wall 23, a flat wall 24 at its upper inner portion and adownwardly and outwardly beveled inner lower wall 25, and at its upperedge the gasket is adapted to engage the lower surface of the lowerouter portion of the top of the upper closure-section 13. \Vhen thegasket is first applied to the closure it will take the angular positionin which said gasket is shown in Fig. 3, and at this time the beveledportion 2 1 of the gasket will stand in the path of the upper outer edgeof the tumbler or other receptacle 10; and

. when the cap or closure containing the gasket pressed downwardly uponthe tumbler or other receptacle 10, said gasket will be deformedoutwardly and pressed into the an nular recess formed by the downwardlyand inwardly converging band 18 and the vertical skirt 16 of the upperclosure-section 13, then taking the form and position represented inFigs. 1 and 1- and, with scaling effect, engagin aid band 18, said skirt1G and the lower surface of the outer edge portion of the disk 15, theinner wall of the gasket then being substantially Hat and sealingagainst the side of the receptacle and the outer initially straight wall23 of the gasket taking the outline of the parts 18 and 16 of theclosure, as shown. in Figs. 1 and 4-.

In utilizing my invention as disclosed in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, I formthe upper and lower closure or cap sections 13, 14 in separate parts andspin the upper edge portion of the lower section under and over theflange 17 of the upper section 13, thereby producing the grooved sectionor flange 20 which closely holds and binds against the said flange 17.

The upper and lower sections 13,14: are thus connected together and maybe handled as a unit. Thereafter the gasket is inserted within the outerannular portions of the cap or closure, as shown in Fig. 3, and theclosure may be applied to the tumbler 10. Preferably I loosely place theclosure, containing the gasket, over the tumbler and introduce thetumbler into the vacuum chamber of a vacuum sealing apparatus of anysuitable construction; thereafter the air will be exhausted from saidtumbler and said chamber and then the cap will be pressed firmly downupon the tumbler or to the position shown in Fig. 1, and thereuponatmospheric air will be admitted to said chamber to complete thesealing, the result being that the cap and gasket will be transformedfrom the condition in which they are represented in Fig. 3 to thatillustrated in Fig. 1, from which it will be understooll that the top ofthe cap or closure section 13 has beendished downwardly, by atmosphericpressure, within the upper portion of the tumbler and that thereby theouter edge portions of the cap or closure section 13 are drawn tightlyagainst the gasket and against the lip of the receptacle. Theapplication of the closure to the tumbler in the manner just describedresults in the gasket being deformed by the pressure against; it of thesides of the tumbler and the band 18 and skirt 16 of the closure intothe outline represented in Fig. 4, and also in Fig. 1 in which it may beseen that the gasket throughout an extended sealing zone engages theupper side portions of the tumbler.

The hermetic sealing of the receptacle 1() with the use of my inventionmay be performed in various ways and in many well known forms ofapparatus commonly designated as acuuni sealing machines and also as jarsealing apparatus.

The flexible tear-oif tabs 21 initially extend parallel with the side ofthe ring from which the lower section 11 of the closure is formed, butin rolling or otherwise manipulating the ring into the form presented bythe lower closure section 14-, I turn the tear-ofl tabs 21 lllHVZlltllyso that in the finished article said tabs will lie close against saidsection 1-1. as shown in the drawings, and when it is desired to makeuse of one of the tear-oil tabs 21, said tab is turned outwardly fromthe section 14,- and then pulled upwardly so as to effect the tearing ofthe metal through said section. W'hen the section 14- has been tornthrough vertically it may be removed from the upper SECLTOH 13, leavingthe latter section free for removal from the tumbler 10. The section 13is not injured by the tearing of the lower section 1st, and hence saidsection 1.3 may be used as temporary cover for the tumbler until thecontents thereof have been consumed.

' The construction shown in Fig. 5 mm ltit) tit) bodies a modificationof the construction shown in Figs. 1 to 4t inclusive andcomprises anupper closure sectionBO, a lower closure section 31, and a gasket 32.The closure seetion .30 corresponds exactly with theclosure section 13of Fig. 3 and both 0t said sections are vertically slit, as at 33, at anumber of points through their skirt portions 16 and ill respectivelyfor the purpose of making it asier to remove said sections from thetumbler after the lower sections have been detached from the uppersections 13, The section is of cap formation and has along the loweredge of its skirt an outwardly extending flange corresponding with theflange 17' of Figs. 3 and 4. The lower section 31 instead of beingin oneCOI1 tinuous integral piece, as is the section 14 of Figs. 3 and l, isof: the same shape as said section 14, but is in the form of astriphaving an interlock 36 of any of the several lunrwn kinds for"fiitltfllt'illgtlie two ends of the strip t other, with the groovedflange 37 ot the on 31 engrag zed with the flange 2-15 of the section30. The lower section 31 has downwardly converging sides 38 andhelowthem a downwardly extending narrow skirt portion these two features coresponding with the portions 18, 19 oi the lower section 11 shown inFigs. 3 and 4. hen the closure sections 30, 31 have gasket 32 introducedthereto, the closure may be applied to the tumbler in exactly the samemanner that the closure in Fig. 8 is applied to the tumbler. Thereafterwhen it is desired to remove the closure from the tumbler, the interlock86 will he released and the clo' sure section 31 removed from theclosure section 30, and thereupon the closure section 30 may be liftedfrom oil the tumbler. The slots or slits 33 in the closure section 30'do not extend to the top 01''. said section, but do extend through thelower edge thereof, and said slots or slitstl-fi being: at the outerside of the l'tlSliCt 32 become sealed by said gasket.

In Figs. 6 and 7 I show a further modification of certain parts oi. myinvention and in this modified construction 41-.0 denotes the upperclosure section and 41 the lower closure section. the section a0 beingin the shape of a disk-top and a depending: skirt portion correspondingsubstantially with the shirt 113 oi the closure section 13, but nothaving at its lower edge a flange, being: left plain. The lower sectionll has a vertical outwardly oil'- set side a i'lownwardly and inwardlyannular converging: section l-l, a lower vertical tlance to extendingdownwardly therefrom and tear-oil tabs 16. In the construction shown inFig. 6 instead of Hanging the upper edge of the lower section of theclosure upon the lower edge of the upper section. as in Fig. 3. I flangethe upper edge of the lower section 4L1, as at l7, over upon the upperouter edges of the upper section l0, as shown in Fig. (5.

been assembled and the 3, and thereafterapply the. closure to thetumbler, Inunberei'l inFif *6, in the tine manner that the closureof-Figs. 1711M clu -sire is applied to the-tumbler 1t).

closure of First and 7 may here loved *1 cm the tulnhler with the usehit the) it abs it said tabs being first turned.outwardly from the;c'lt-isure section '41 and 'then 'iul led upwardly to effect the tearing'th'rougl'iiof said section 41st) that it'n a-y be readil re" moved fromthe upper ion- 40. he; tachinent "ot' the section 4:1 from the l lea vcsthe latter tree-to be liftedioll from the ti-ni'ibler, this remova'rhotthe uppersec tron ltl trom the tumbler being facilitated by the slots 48cut section-40.

In the "several shown, the closureisintwoparts containing an annularchamber around its inner edges in theskirt portion" of said for "thegasketfifl and within which the gasketis deformed and firmlypressed-against the side of the tumbler by the more applica' tion of theelosure'to, position thereon, and

in the forms of theinve'ntion shown in'F-igs.

1 to 4 ancl'Figs-t and; 7*, the lower closure section may be tornt-hrough witlrtheuse of the tear-oil tabs connected therewith, so as tobecome detached from thefupper closure section and leave the latter freefor ready removal from the tumbler; 1 The construction shown in Fig. 5does not require. tear-oft tabs on the lower section, because said 1section "is in the form of a strip whose endsmay be sop arated to permitof the detachment of the lower section 31 from the flange 35 of theupper section 30.

In the form of my invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the upper section 40may be of paper, odorless transparent pyroxylin 0r other's'uitablematerial. I r

Some of the features of my invention may be modified. For illustration,the tear-off tabs n'ojectino from the lower edge of the lower section ofthe closure may project from the upper edge of said section and hefolded either downwardly against said lower section or upwardly againstthe upper section of the closure, this being a mere reversal as to thedisposition of the tear-01f tabs and within the spirit and scope of'inyinvention.

The flange, head or rib 17 also serves to stifien or add strength to theskirt, which as before described is of relatively thin and flexiblemetal, so thatadditional strength is given to its entire circumferenceat and near fOIll'lS of my invention lift that point, with the resultthat when the cap is pressed on the container so as to force the elasticgasket against the wall thereof in offecting the seal, the gasket beingcompressed more tightly is deformed and made to st tectively fill orconform to irregularities in the wall of the container, whether formedtherein or thereon by accident of manufacture or by design, and thusproduce a more effective seal than otherwise obtainable, while at thesame time not detracting from the advantages which result from havingthe skirt of relatively thin metal or other suitable relatively thinflexible material.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. In combination with a receptacle, a closure therefor including a capportion, and sealing means for maintaining the cap portion tightly inplace prior to the period of use of the receptacle contents, saidsealing means having a downwardly converging skirt portion forming withthe opposing wall of the receptacle a wedge shaped recess, a gasketwithin said recess, said gasket having its initial shape different fromthat of the recess and deformed to tightly engage the walls thereof byforcing the closure home on the receptacle, and a tear-oft tab integralwith said downwardly converging skirt portion and adapted to be pulledupwardly to tear said skirt port-ion and thus relieve the gasketot'clamping pressure, the cap portion and sealing skirt being separableone from the other when the sealing portion is released,

the cap portion then being serviceable as a service cover.

2. In combination with a receptacle having plain side walls, a closuretherefor comprising a capof larger area than the top of the receptacle,a skirt depending from said cap and terminating in a flange, an inwardlyand downwardly extending tapered portion secured to the flange, saidtapered portion forming with the skirt a wedge-shaped recess, a gasketdisposed within the recess and having its initial shape ditlerent fromthat of the recess whereby to form an airtight seal against the sidewalls of the receptacle, and a tear-oli' tab integral with thedownwardly extending tapered portion, the tab being revcrsely bent tolie closely against the outer surface of the tapered portion, and protected by the flange from accidental displacement, said tab faciiitatingremoval of the tapered portion and gasket, and leaving the cap intactfor use as a service cover.

8. A cylindrical jar closure comprising a cap, a skirt depending fromthe cap and terminating in an annular flange, a seamless downwardlyconverging portion attached to the flange and forming with the skirt awedge-shaped recess for the reception of a gasket, and a tear oil tabintegral with the converging portion, the tearing action of said tabbeing limited by the flange, thereby permitting removal of the closurefrom the jar and leaving a service cover.

4t. A receptacle closure including a cap portion having a dependingskirt of relatively thin flexible material formed with an annnlarlydisposed outwardly projected rib or flange to impart a degree ofstillness to the skirt greater than otherwise existing to deform anelastic gasket interposed between the skirt and wall of the container ondepression of the cap to normal sealing position and cause the gasket toconform to irregularities in the wall of the container to produce aneffective seal between the gasket and the wall of the container untilthe seal is broken.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York, and State of NewYork, this 5th day of March, A. D. 192

HARRY INGRAM.

